Related

METRO VANCOUVER -- A woman is dead after what homicide police say was a case of domestic violence that spread across the entire floor of a Richmond apartment building Sunday and led to residents being pulled from the building by firefighters.

Occupants at the building at 7040 Granville Ave. called police for help around 2 p.m. Officers arrived to find the body of a woman who has not yet been identified, said Corporal Dominic Duchesneau, a spokesman with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

A man was arrested without incident at the scene in relation to the murder, said Duchesneau.

-----

CLICK HERE to view photographs related to this story, or if using a handheld device, tap the image above and swipe.

-----

"The preliminary information suggests that the male in custody knew the victim and it appears to be a domestic violence situation," said Duchesneau, who declined to say how the woman died, noting that it could affect the investigation.

IHIT officials remained at the apartment building late Sunday and members of the Integrated Forensic Identification Section are set to attend the scene Monday.

"As for the victim, we are still trying to identify her," said Duchesneau. "We have a good idea who she is, but we just want to confirm with the family."

Residents of the Panorama Place complex said around a half-dozen police cruisers arrived at the building along with paramedics just after midday.

There, they discovered a crime scene that had spread from an apartment out into the hallway of one of the floors.

Firefighters were called, where they used a ladder to help residents leave the floor where the crime occurred so they could avoid disturbing any evidence.

"Because the crime scene is not strictly in an apartment -- it covers the entire floor. As a result of that, people were stranded inside of their apartment," explained Duchesneau.

Anyone with information about the alleged homicide can call the IHIT Tipline at 1-877-551-4448 or email ihittipline@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

"We are in the very early stages of this investigation and we are working to establish what happened inside the apartment," said Cpl. Duchesneau.

The man who was arrested is scheduled to appear in court Monday.

The incident marks the fifth murder or attempted murder of a woman in B.C. with possible links to domestic violence in as many weeks.

In at least three of the attacks, police had been previously called to the residence, which raises troubling questions about to what extent law enforcement is able to prevent such incidents, said Hilla Kerner of Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter.

When women in abusive situations hear such stories, the message they take away is that police will not be able to protect them from their partners, she said.

“Every time there is a case like this, abusive men will take the paper and tell (women): This is what’s going to happen to you,” she said.

Women who come to the shelter fleeing abusive relationships frequently complain of a weak police response that does not leave them feeling any safer from their partners and haphazard enforcement of restraining order breaches, she said.

“Often the police will ask the woman what does she want to do when it should not be really up to the woman. It’s up to the police to stop this man.”

Police must thoroughly investigate all reported breaches of restraining orders and in the most extreme situations, post a police officer at the woman’s residence, Kerner said.

“It’s worth it to save women’s lives and there are some instances where that might be the only option.”

Women in abusive partnerships face a number of hurdles when considering leaving. In some cases, the woman may be financially dependent on her partner and unsure of her ability to support herself and children on social assistance, Kerner said. Women also worry about losing custody of their children if they don’t qualify for Legal Aid and can’t afford a lawyer, she added.

“Men know that and men use it to stop women from leaving.... They use the threat of custody against the women.”

“Definitely we’re expecting the solicitor general to give clear insruction to police all over the province to be diligent,” Kerner said. “When they hear a call about a battered woman they must come, they must investigate. They cannot send the husband for a walk around the block, they must arrest (the) men.”

Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter operates a transition house and a 24-hour crisis line, 604-872-8212.

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

A Radio-Canada reporter has been arrested for alleged criminal harassment while pursuing the subject of a story. According to Radio-Canada, reporter Antoine Trépanier was arrested Tuesday night by Gatineau police. He was released on a promise to appear in court. Trépanier was called by Gatineau police Tuesday evening and an officer requested that he come […]

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.